Visitor
by mabelreid
Summary: One shot Morgan visits Spencer in jail after the events of "Spencer."


_**Disclaimer: see my profile**_

 _ **A/n this is a tag to "Spencer." Please enjoy.**_

Spencer nearly told his guard to take him back to his cell when he saw Morgan sitting behind the glass in the visitor's room. He stopped, took in the expression in his friend's eyes and sighed. He sat, picked up the handset of the phone and said. "You didn't have to come here, Derek."

"Yes, I did. What the _hell_ were you thinking, Reid?"

"Morgan, I was trying –"

Morgan's eyes flashed with real rage. "What's going on in your head? Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?"

" _No,_ I wanted to help my mom and –"

"You didn't think for one minute to ask for help. The team has your back, and so do I. If you couldn't talk to them, then you should have called me."

"You would have tried to talk me out of it."

"Yes, and for a good reason." Morgan closed his eyes and rubbed his bald head. "How many times do you think you can cheat death, Spencer?"

"I wasn't _trying_ to cheat death." Reid felt anger rising in him. "What right do you have to come in here and comb me down for trying to help my mother? You _don't_ understand."

"I understand that you're still holding on to guilt from when you first committed your mom to Bennington. You gotta let it go, Reid."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Reid almost shouted. "I'm not holding onto guilt. I'm just trying to help her."

"By violating security procedures with the FBI to meet a doctor in a foreign country to obtain an experimental drug."

"The treatment's not illegal," Reid pointed out petulantly.

"That's _not_ the point. You never once thought about the team, your friends, family, Henry, Hank, or Jack. If you had, you wouldn't have pulled a _stupid_ stunt like going to Mexico without back up."

"I thought about all of you," Spencer said quietly. "I weighed the risks and decided they were worth taking."

Morgan shook his head and his eyes filled with something Spencer hadn't seen since Morgan had said goodbye at the Bureau. "I don't want to take Hank to visit your grave."

Reid rocked back on his chair as guilt sprang up to choke him like weeds choking a tomato plant. "I honestly never thought I'd run into any trouble, Morgan."

Morgan's shoulders dropped, and he sat back as well. "I know you didn't, but that doesn't change the fact that the man who killed your doctor friend could've killed you instead of framing you. The police officers could've shot first and asked questions later. You were _this_ close to ending up in El Diablo, where your life expectancy would be days or hours. You're my friend, no – that's not right – you're my brother, Spencer. I don't want to attend your funeral until I'm old and gray and blind. You need the chance to live, to have a family of your own, and to spend time with your mom."

Reid bit the inside of his mouth, so he didn't cry. To show weakness like that even in the relatively safe environment of Federal lockup was suicide. "I _am_ sorry I didn't think, Derek."

"I'm sorry I came down so hard on you, but I was terrified when Emily called me and filled me in. You are so lucky your doctor friend has dual citizenship…"

Reid shivered. "I know, Morgan. It's all I can think about."

"Do you need anything?"

Reid looked around. "Just to get out of here."

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that happens. I've already called Cruz, the Director, and the Federal Prosecutors Office. I'm not sure what good it will do as I'm former FBI, but I have to try."

"Thank you."

"You can thank me by promising that if you _ever_ get into trouble again, you will call me for backup before you get into something you can't handle."

"I promise."

"Spencer, I'm sorry he drugged you like that. I know how much your sobriety means to you."

"I want to say it's all right, but it's not. Ever since I came down, I've wished for my medallion."

"I know you. You _will_ get through this."

"I wish I could be as confident as you."

Morgan sat forward. "Listen to me, Spencer. You're strong. You will survive, and when we get you out of here, you'll do whatever it takes to maintain your sobriety."

"I'm not sure you should have such faith in me."

Morgan finally smiled. "I know because I know how much you love Henry, Hank, and Jack. You'll do it for them."

"No, I'll do it for myself."

"Good answer, _pretty boy_ ," Morgan shot back and chuckled.

"How can you say that when I haven't shaved in a week?"

Morgan surveyed his friend in carefully taking in his jail garb, his unshaven face, and the look of pain in his eyes.

"I don't care what you look like as long as you're here for me to see and talk to."

"Thanks, Derek."

"Now, I have to go, but I will come back."

Spencer nodded and hung up the receiver. He watched Morgan leave; then signaled the guard. Somehow knowing that Morgan believed in him began to lift the black mood he'd fallen into since his arrest. He'd stay strong, and he would survive because his mother and his BAU family needed him.


End file.
